Automatic firearm.



PAI-BNTBD APR. 26, 1904. T. C. JOHNSON. AUTOMATIC FIREARM. 1 APPLIGATIONIILBDNov. 1a, 190s.

No MODEL.

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Patented April V26, 1904.

ATENT ENCE.

THOMAS c. JOHNSON, OE NEW HAVEN,

wiNOHEsTEE EEPEATINGAEMS eo., or NEEr CUT, A 4vCQRPORATION.

CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO HAVEN, CONNECTI- AUTONIATIC FIREARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 758,318, dated April26, 1904. Application filed November 13, 1903. Serial No. 181,033. iNomodel.)

To ILZZ whom it may concern:

cartridge into the firing-chamber, to support- Be it known that I,THOMAS C. JOHNSON, of ing the forward end of the breech-block solidlyNew Haven, in the county of New Haven and in the barrel extension at thetime of tiring State of Connecticut, have invented a new and the arm, todispensing with a locking device 5` useful Improvement in AutomaticFirearms; for holdingthe locking-block in its depressed and I do herebydeclare the following, when position, and to relieving the gun-framefrom taken in connection with the accompanying the shock of the impactof the barrel extendrawings and the letters of reference marked sion andbreech-block at the time of recoil. thereon, to be a full, clear, andexact descrip- With these ends in view my invention conro tion of thesame, and which said drawings conl sists in an automatic firearm havinga recoilstitute part of this specification, and repreing barrel andprovided with a sliding opersent, inating-handle for manually moving thebarrel Figure l, a broken view, partly in side elerearward, and henceopening the gun. vation andpartly in vertical longitudinal see- Myinvention further consists in the c'orn- 15 tion, of a gun embodying myinvention; Fig. bination, with a gun'having a recoil-ing barrel 2, adetached reverse broken ,plan view of the and barrel extension,of abreech-block formed barrel-operating handle for the manual operaat itsforward end with a centering and suption of the barrel; Fig. 3, a viewthereof in porting projection-entering the barrel eXtenfront elevation;Fig. 4, a detached view of the sion for supporting the forward end ofthe zo barrel in transverse section looking rearblock at the time oftiring.

wardly, taken on the line (L of Fig. 1 and My invention further consistsin the combishowing the shoulderlformed beneath the barnation, with agun having a recoiling barrel, o rel proper for coperation with the barof the of a barrel extension formed at its rear end barrel-operatinghandle; Fig. 5, a detached with a cam-surface, a breech-block located 25view of the breech-block, showing the lockwithin the barrel extension, alocking-block ing-block; Fig. 6, a view of the breech-block pivotallymounted in the breech-block and infront elevation; Fig. 7, abroken Viewshow- I having its upper face formed with a cam-sur- 7 5 ing the forwardend of the breech-block in face to coact with the said cam-surface ofthe right-hand side elevation, showing the centeri barrel extension, abreech block Operating 3o ing and supporting projection at its forwardrod pivotally connected with the locking-block end; Fig. 8, a detachedview in right-hand and extending rearwardly therefrom, and a sideelevation of the locking-block; Fig. 9, a l breech-block-closing springcoacting with the view in rear elevation of the barrel extension, i saidrod, the said cam-surface of the lockingshowing the-cam-surface formedtherein for block and barrel extension coacting to depress 35 coactionwith the locking-block; Fig. 10, a the locking-block against the tensionof the view in transverse section of the gun-frame l said spring', so asto permit the breech-block on the line c (l of Fig. 1 and looking' rearito enter the barrel extension when the gun is S5 wardly to show thevulcanized liber located closing. within its rear end to form a bufferfor the i My invention further consists in the combi- 40 barrelextension and breech-block. l nation, with a gun-frame, of arecoilingbarrel, My invention relates to an improvement in l barrelextension and breech-block, and an inthat class of automatic lirearmshaving rel elastic or substantially inelasticlmtl'er located 9o ceilingbarrels, the object being to produce a within thel rear end of thegun-frame to relight, compact, and reliable arm in which the ceive theimpact of the barrel'extension and 45 number of parts is reduced to theminimum l breech-block when the gun is automatically and which isconstructed with particular refopened. erenceto convenience in manuallyoperating My invention further vconsists in ceratin dci tails ofconstruction and combinations of parts,

the recoiling barrel in order to feed the first as will be hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claims..

I may now state that the gun of. my present g f invention is closelyrelated to that shown and described in my pending application, filedJune 29, 1903, and serially numbered 163,630. The gun was so fullyescribed in that application that it is unnecessary to describe itsdetailed Aconstruction herein further than may be necessary to theunderstanding of the present features of novelty.

1n carrying out my invention as herein shown I employ a tubular slidingbarrel-operating handle 2, in this case formed with annular grooves, sothat it may be firmly gripped by the hand of the user. This slidinghandle is mounted so as to move freely back and forth upon the forwardend of the tubular magazine 3, the rear end of which is entered into thegun frame 4. The said sliding handle is formed al; its rear end with arearwardly-extending operating--bar 5, adapted .at its rear end toengage with an operating-'shoulder 6, formed upon the under face of therecoiling gun-barrel 7, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, a short distance infront of the heavy guide-ring 7 a, depending from the barrel andreceiving the tubular magazine 3. When-the handle is in its normalposition, a clearance-space 8 separates the rear end of the bar 5 fromthe shoul` der 6, so that in the automatic operation of the gun theshoulder will not impinge against the bar when the recoiling barrel isreturned in the usual manner to its closed position. The said handle isheld in its normal or retired position by the provision of the underface of its bar 5 with a shallow transverse locking or retaining groove9, which engageswith the upper edge of the front wall 10 of theforestock tip 11, the upper portion of-which embraces the barrel. Bygrasping the handle 2 and pulling rearwardly upon it the bar 5 willspring suflciently to readilyv d isengage itself from the fore-stock tip11, permitting thehandle' to be moved rearward. Almost immediately afterthe handle has been started on its rearward `movement the rear end ofits bar 5 engages with the shoulder 6 of the barrel 7, which is thenstarted in ,its rearward movement. The handle and barrel are thus movedrearward manually until 4the gun has been opened. During this mariualopening of the gun the breech-block-closing spring 2O has been placedunder tension, so'that when the user of the arm lets up, so to speak, on

his rearward pull upon the handle the gun i' will be automaticallyclosed, the barrel pushing the handle before it, whereby the handle isreturned to its normal or retired position, in which it is retained bythe rengagement of its bar 5 with the fore-stock tip 11, over which thebar rides. .ln riding over the forestock tip the bar is placed undersufficient tension to prevent the handle from being jarred free. '.lhehandle is chiefly used for Y manually operating the gun so as to feedthe il iirst cartridge from the tubular magazine 3 into thefiring-chamber of the gun-barrel; but of course thehandle may be usedfor manually opening the gun for any other purpose.

'1`hebreech-block 12 is furnished at its forward end with a circularcentering and supporting projection or extension- 13, which i' enters arecess 14, formed for .its reception ,l in the forward end of the barrelextension i 15, which has the rear end of the barrel 7 l screwed intoit. The part 13 not only helps l to center the breech-block as the samemoves into its closed position, but

very solidly supports the forward end of the block under downward thrustat the time of firing, due to the fact that the locking-block 16,mounted in the breech-block, is located when the gun is fired in aninclined position with its rear end entered into a locking-recess 17 inthe top and near the rear end of the barrel extension 15, thelocking-block being pivotally connected at its forward end with thebreechl block and having its'rear or recoil-taking end struck on acurve, to which the rear or recoiltaking wall of the locking-recess 17corresponds in curvature. Under this arrangement the shock of recoil,which is in large part borne by the locking-block 16, exerts a downwardthrust upon the forward end of the breech-block. This thrust, however,is resisted by the centering and supporting projection 13, alreadydescribed. It is particuy larly desirable to support the breech-block inthis supplemental way, because the rightl hand wall of the barrelextension is partially l cut away in forming the lateral ejectionopening9a.

r1`helocking-block 16 is operated bya breechblock-operating rod 18,having its rear end entered into a timing-follower 19, recessed at itsends and receiving the forward end of the breech-block-closing spring20. No further description will be given atl this time of the 1timing-follower, which is fully described in l my prior applicationreferred to. It will be f understood that the spring 20 acts, through lthe follower 19 and the rod 18, to move the r breech-block into itsclosed position; but in- 5 asmuch as the rod 18 is connected with the ibreech-block l2 through the locking-block l 16 the spring 2O and rod 18operate to lift the locking-block into its elevated position the momentthe forward movement of the breech-block 12 is begun unless alocking-dog or some equivalent means are employed for t locking thelocking-block in its unlocked position against the lifting action of thespring; but one of the objects of my present invention is to dispensewith a locking-dog for the locking-block. lt may be explained in thisconnection that and barrel extension 15 recoil together; that thebreech-block is temporarily held at the limit of its rearward movementWhile the barthe barrel 7, breech-block 12,`

TOO

- of the recoiling barrel and barrel extension.

Now in order that the locking-block may 'readily enter the rear end ofthe barrel eX- tension 15 despite the fact that the said locking-blockis elevated at the time the same is formed upon its upper face with acam-surface 21 to coact with a cam-surface 22, formed in the rear end ofthe barrel extension. These cam-surfaces eoact, so that thelocking-block is depressed against the power of the said spring andallowed to freely enter the barrel extension and be moved forwardtherein without appreciably retarding the forward movement of thebreech-block 12 under the power of the spring, which as soon as the rearend of the locking-block is brought into registration with the opening17 in the barrel extension reassertsv itself and .lifts the block 16,which then locks the breech-block in its closed position.

In order to deaden the shock of the opening movement of the gun, Ilocate an inelastic or substantially inelastic buffer 23 in the rear endof the gun-frame 4 in position to be impinged upon by the rear ends ofthe barrel: extension 15 and breech-block 12 at the time of recoil,whereby the shock is in part absorbed and racking of the gun,and-particularly the'breakage of the gun-frame, is prevented. For thebuffer I may employ vulcanized fiber or some such material. This bufferdeadensthe shock, but does not act as a spring would act. A spring inthis situation wouldv by being compressed store up -power and expend itin throwing the barrel extension and breech-block forward, so that theshock accompanying their return to their forward positions would beintensified. However, a fibrous buffer will not operate in this way, butdeadens the shock of recoil by absorption.

It is apparent that in earring out my invention some changes from theconstruction herein shown and described 'may be made. I would thereforehave it understood that I do not limit myself thereto, but hold myselfat liberty to make such departures therefrom as fairly fall within thespirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is"

1. In an automatic firearm, the combination with a recoiling barrel, ofa sliding barrel-operating handle forming a part of the gun structurefor manually moving the barrel rearward, the barrel being automaticallymovable back and forth independent of the handle.

2. ln an automatic gun,the combination with a recoiling barrel, of asliding handle forming a part of the gun structure and having arearwardly-extending operating-bar for engaging with the barrel formanually moving the same rearwardly, the barrel being automaticallymovable back andforth independent of the handle.

3. In an automatic firearm, the combination with a recoiling barrel, ofa tubular magazine, and a sliding barrel-operating handle mounted on themagazine for manually moving the barrel rearward, the automatic movementof the barrel being independent of the handle.

4. In an automatic firearm,the combination with a recoiling barrel, of asliding handle forming a part of the gun structure for manually movingthe vrbarrel rearward, and means for holding the handle in its retiredor normal position the barrel being automatically movable independent ofthe handle.

5. In an automatic firearm, the combination i with a recoiling barrel,of a sliding handle forming a part of the gun structure for manuallymoving the barrel rearward, and a forestock tip which coacts with thesliding handle to normally hold it in its retired position.

6. In an automatic firearm, the combination with a recoiling barrelhaving an operatingshoulder formed onits under face, of a-sliding handleforming a part of the gun structure and having a rear wardly-extend ingoperatingbar for engaging with the said shoulder for moving the barrelrearward and opening the gun, the barrel being automatically movablerearward independent of the handle.

7 1n an automatic firearm, the combination with a recoiling barrelformed with an operating-shoulder, of a tubular magazine, and a slidingbarrel-operating handle mounted on the magazine and having arearwardly-extending-operating-bar for engagement with the said shoulderto move the barrel rearward and open the gun,the automatic movement ofthe barrel being independent of the handle.

- 8. In an automatic firearm, the combination with a recoiling barrel,of a tubular magazine, a fore-stock tip, and a sliding barrel-operatinghandle 'mounted on the magazine and having a rearwardly-extendingoperating-bar engaging the barrel for moving thesame rearward andengaging with the tip for holding the handle in its retired position,the automatic movement of the barrel being independent of the handle.

9. In an automatic gun,the combination with a recoiling barrel, of abarrel extension laterally cut away on its right-hand side to form anejection-opening and formed in its top with a locking-recess locatednear its rear end, a breech-block located in the said extension, alocking-block having its forward end pivotally connected with thebreech-block and its rear end adapted to be lifted into thelockingrecess in the barrel extension, means forv operatingthe saidlocking-block, and a centering and supporting projection located uponthe forward*end of the breech-block and entering the barrel extensionfor centering the block and supporting the same at the time of tiringagainst the downward thrust of the looking-block.

l0. 1n an' au omatie gun, the combination with a reooiling barrel, of abarrelextension formed at its .rear end with a cam-surface, abreech-block, a.. looking-block pivotal] y mounted therein and havingits upper fa'oe'formed with aGaIn-surface to eoaet with the saideamsurfaoe of the barrel extension, a breech-blockoperating rodpivotally connected with the rel extension when the gun is being closed.

1n testimony whereof 1 have signed this specification in the presenceoftwo subserib- 20 ing Witnesses.

THOMAS C. JOHNSON.

Witnesses: I

FREDERIC C. EARLE, o CLARA L. VVEED.

